Computer devices, such as laptops, desktops, notebooks, netbooks, PDAs, hand-held devices, digital cameras, cell phones, and the like, are often equipped with wired data and/or power ports for providing interconnectivity with other computer devices or peripheral devices. Peripheral devices may include solid-state memory, security “dongles,” network interfaces, input interfaces such as wired or wireless mouse or keyboard interfaces, microphones, cameras, and the like. Examples of current industry standard computer ports include USB™ types A, B, mini-A, mini-B, micro-AB and micro-B, Firewire™ ports, and the like. Although flexible cables may typically be used to provide connectivity to a port, such cables may lack desired features, such as providing structural support for a peripheral device attached to a host computer device.
For example, current laptop computers typically include one or more USB™ ports which may be used to connect a peripheral such as a USB™ wireless network interface peripheral. Such network interface peripherals may be contained within a generally compact “stick” type housing, which may be plugged directly into the laptop's USB™ port, thereby providing a rigid connection between the peripheral and the laptop which physically supports the peripheral. However, such a rigid connection may prevent easy movement of the peripheral, which may be required for example to orient the network adapter antenna in a desired manner, for example to improve signal quality or reduce an amount of radiation directed toward a user.
Therefore there is a need for a computer port interface that is not subject to the above limitations.
Swivelling mechanical couplings are well known in the art. Generally, a swivelling mechanical coupling or simply a swivel comprises two mating portions, rotatable with respect to each other about a common axis. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,037,978, 5,484,220, 5,529,421, 5,685,661, 5,772,350 and 5,839,846, and United States Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0208274 each disclose examples of swivels.
However, a swivel mechanism on its own does not immediately or straightforwardly lead to a computer port interface.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.